JP: Cmdr. Karrod Niac & Lt. Jg. Nolen Hobart - What We Signed Up For (Part 2)
Nolen Hobart
((Conference Room, Deck 1, USS Arrow))
Niac: I have it on very good authority that I’m too grouchy to die.
She gave him a smirk.
Morgan: Jokes aside, it’s going to happen. ::inhale:: This whole ceremony, it gives you insight into yourself, inasmuch as you are Niac. The cumulative thing. Everything Niac is, through today, is part of you.
He let out a long, slow sigh.
Niac: Yeah…yeah. I think I’m starting to appreciate what that means.
Morgan: And maybe it also gives you perspective. That you, Karrod, will someday just be a part of Niac’s legacy. Somebody else’s story.
He could feel his jaw tightening as he considered the idea but found it disturbed him more deeply than he expected.
Niac: I think that might be the part of this that I like the least, to be honest. I always thought of myself as my own person…in fact, it was a point of pride. I left Trill and joined Starfleet because I wanted to make my own legacy…write my own story. Now it feels more like I’m just writing a chapter for someone else's. It’s…it’s unnerving. And I wasn’t really expecting that.
She nodded along as Karrod spoke, and a soft chuckle escaped Nolen’s nostrils.
Morgan: I don’t think anybody does. ::inhale:: That’s the thing, Karrod, none of us are our own person. Or, at least, not exclusively. I’m not Adriana Morgan. I’m what’s left of her from a brief time that she traveled with Niac. She’s out there writing her own story, and if you ask her, I doubt she’d say she ever thought she’d be writing part of yours. ::A laugh, gentle tossing of hands:: And yet, here I am!
He felt himself shaking his head to disagree but a small chuckle still slipped out. She was, as usual, annoyingly correct.
Niac: You’re pretty smart for someone who hasn’t lived a few lifetimes. Sure you’re not actually a Trill in disguise?
That provoked a real laugh. After all this, if someone was ever going to earn the title of “honorary Trill,” it had damned well better be her.
Morgan: It could be I’ve learned a few things, stewing for the better part of two years with your Greek chorus.
Karrod laughed and sat back down as he felt some of his frustrations melting away.
Niac: It must be like living at the dorms back at the Academy. Zero privacy, lots of loud passionate conversations, irritating roommates. Maybe I should start charging you rent.
A single eyebrow arched toward the ceiling.
Morgan: That implies you could evict me.
Niac: Well…I mean…is it…good, for you? I know this didn’t happen on purpose but I’ve always felt strangely responsible for it. I’ve never sensed any resentment from you or from…well, you. But…I know this isn’t exactly what you signed up for.
Nolen’s eyes narrowed and Adri shook her head. There wasn’t anything to resent, as far as she could tell. It wasn’t Karrod’s choice for things to end up this way, and it wasn’t his fault.
Morgan: But… it is what I signed up for. ::holding up a hand to collect her thoughts:: I can only speak for me. I can’t speak for me. But this is weird. Weirdest thing in my life. And that’s what Starfleet is. Part of going out into the vast universe is accepting that some days are going to be weird. Even life-altering weird. If you’d asked me the morning I woke up before we swapped, I would not have told you I wanted to spend the rest of my days a Trill symbiont’s lucid dream. But I’m here, and this is life. It’s where it’s taken me.
Even though the voice belonged to Mr. Hobart all he could hear were Adriana’s soft inflections, her gently affirming but chiding tone. As much as some part of him wanted to struggle against it, he allowed the weight of responsibility for Adriana’s situation to dissolve away and felt a strange sense of karmic relief.
Niac: Thanks for that, Adriana…it’s a kindness I didn’t know I needed.
She cocked her head, a sly smile passing Nolen’s lips.
Morgan: But, you know… There are rules, I get it, but would it kill you to call Talos every once in a while?
Karrod’s lips curled up and he barked a laugh.
Niac: I’ll do it but I’m going to insist he keeps his uniform on. You’ll have to use your memories to fill in the blanks.
Morgan: ::malicious grin:: If you don't, I'll use my memories to fill in your blanks. ::gently:: Thank you, Karrod. This was fun.
Niac: Before you go, I was wondering if you might help me out with something. That young man you’re currently walking around in has a hard time with the Betazed side of his heritage. I thought maybe you could...I don’t know. Give him your perspective, maybe a few tips.
For a fleeting moment, Adri’s face went blank. It was only for an instant, but it was unmistakable that she had gone somewhere else. When she came back, Nolen’s brow was furrowed.
Morgan: I’m a Communications officer, Karrod, not a Counselor. I don’t really know how I can help.
Niac: Hell if I know, Adriana. But I always feel better after I talk to you…maybe he’ll be half as lucky.
Morgan: I'm flattered. ::sigh:: But from what little I've seen in here, I'm not sure “tips” are what he needs.
He’d known Adriana in one form or another for nearly two years and had come to value her insights. He leaned forward, lips pursed and brow creased.
Niac: I thought his big challenge was controlling his gifts…I thought if you could help him with that it might make his life a little easier.
Morgan: Well, I honestly don't think it's a question of control. I get the feeling it's more a question of acceptance.
Karrod leaned back, perplexed.
Niac: What? Accepting of his abilities? Of his heritage?
Morgan: No, acceptance of what he saw. What happened on Betazed.
Adriana looked away and Karrod took the hint. Whatever was at the core of Mr. Hobart’s challenges it wasn’t going to be easily resolved but, Karrod hoped, this interplay with Adriana would prove valuable to the young man over time. The two of them spent the next few minutes in quiet, that same sly smile creeping its way back onto Adriana’s features as the Guardian returned. As she returned to Niac, he could feel that smile on his own lips, that ghost of mirth still ringing in his mind as he returned to his quarters to consider all he had learned since the ceremony began.
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Lieutenant Junior Grade Nolen Hobart
Engineering Officer
USS Arrow (NCC-69829)
A240001NH3
&
Commander Karrod Niac
First Officer
USS Arrow - NCC-69829
Captain Randal Shayne, Commanding
V239509GT0